NEWS photo Tom Burley IN A RUT but digging his way out is Paul Toffoli, a summer student who was set to work on the new watering system installed in North Vancouver City’s Victoria Park. EARWIG TIPS Leggy insects a creepy IT’S A GAME of hide-and-s and youre it. ; You'll find earwigs in your cup- boards, your boots, your bath towel, even your bed. For many of us, these leggy little insects have become the number one summer pest. Yet they are relatively harmless and don’t want to be found any more than you want to find them. Common European earwigs don't carry disease, don’t breed indoors and bite rarely, says Rick Wukasch, director of the Universi- ty of Guelph's Pest Diagnostic and Advisory Clinic. They are outdoor insects that sometimes wander in- doors accidentally in search of a dark, secluded hiding place. Earwigs forage at night and must seek shelter from sunshine and heat to prevent dessication. This explains why we may be see- ing so many of them in our homes this summer, says Wukasch. Adult earwigs are about two centimetres Jong and reddish brown in color, Males have curved forceps at the rear of the body; those of the female are straight. They breed only once, laying eggs in topsoil in the spring. In large numbers, they can cause limited damage to flowers and vegetables, but usually the primary damage is caused by other insects and the carwig merely takes ad- vantage of the hiding places created, such as holes in tomatoes. Earwigs will never be completely controlled, but homeowners can reduce their numbers with the aid of chemical sprays and = traps. Wukasch encourages the use of traps. He suggests using sections of garden hose or boards with grooves placed together so the in- sects can crawl! inside. At daybreak, simply shake the hiding earwigs into soapy water. Caulking and tight weather stripping around windows and doors will help keep them out of the house, he says. August 25, AUG. 2? to AUG. 30. Cedar Planters Concrete Miscellaneous Concrete Slabs (2nds) Acrylic Sealer for Pavers & Concrete Pavingstone (selected styles & colours) Pressure 6x6 Landscape Grade Treated 5x5 Std. & Ber. Mexican Terra Cotta Pots Rose Arbors est | Cape Cod Chairs Park Benches (Concrete Ends with Cedar Slats] Used Railway Ties 1987 - North Shore News 479 jin. #. 7 #8 fin. ft.